Need some advice

[redhog]

Hi:

I am new to the forum and hope this is a proper place for this post. Today my front wheel kicked up a 1/2 inch L-shaped piece of steel rod that promptly went into the rear tire and was carried under the rear mudguard damaging about everything it came into contact with. My bike is a pristine 2003 Le Mans that previously didn't have a scratch. Can anyone direct me to a thread or FAQ detailing removing the rear wheel, supporting the bike, precautions etc. I have am 67 years old, have been riding 52 years and I guess the odds caught up with me. Luckily I have another bike to ride in the meantime. Thanks.

[antonio carroccio]

...the average age has gone!

 

Sorry redhog, must to wait that Ratch or Dave are awake. Better one of them and not both!

[Ouiji Veck]

Hi Redhog..

Good to see someone older than me here. and sorry about your misfortune.

Removing the back wheel is kinda straight forward.

Drop the caliper, pull the axle, keep an eye on the spacers.

Particularly the 1/2 inch one inside the hub. You might want to do

a search on that, there were some V11s that came through with too short

a spacer causing bearing failure. (while your in there)

The real trick is getting it up in the air...no center stand sucks.

I use a bike lift like Sears has. I like it a lot. Takes a little to secure the bike

on it well but once it's up there it's really neat. I can pull the front or rear or both apart

and still roll it around the garge.

 

Welcome to the asylum and don't hesitate to ask.....

[rocker59]

The "field expedient" option:

 

 

I prefer the Pit Bull option when at home:

 

 

Mine is a "forward handle rear stand". http://www.pit-bull.com/

[Dan M]

Welcome Redhog,

 

Like others have said, removal is straight forward once you get the bike off the ground. A stand like Rocker suggests is the way to go. I can't remember as I no longer have stock exhaust but I believe you'll have to remove the right muffler to pull the axle out. Unbolt the rear caliper, remove the axle & left side spacer, slide the wheel off of the bevel drive. Pay attention to the spacer on the drive side of the wheel between the wheel spline and the bevel box. There is a locating block for the rear caliper holder that fits over a pin on the left side of the swing arm that may fall off, just slip it back on. If the stand lifts it high enough, you'll be able to wiggle the wheel past the fender without moving it. Nothing more to it

Hope this helps. If you run into anything unforseen just post. There are plenty here who'll offer advise.

[Guest ratchethack]

Wot the others have said, Redhog.

 

The usual faux pas made by the uninitiated can be damaging to the front U-joint, and quite expensive to recover from in terms of time and $$. I refer to the practice of yanking the spindle all the way out, allowing the full weight (nearly 50 lbs.) of wheel, bevel drive, swingarm, brake caliper, etc. to drop straight down, the driveshaft acting as a lever against the "fulcrum" where it drops on the swingarm "tunnel". I haven't done the math, but it more'n likely puts tons of side load impact on the front U-joint that it's not designed to withstand. Many's the Cro-Magnon who's done this, and you don't want that.

 

The way to avoid it is to pull the spindle out only 7" or so, just far enough to allow the bevel drive to "hang" fully supported on the spindle while the wheel is coaxed off it's mating splines on the bevel drive. This makes it safe and relatively easy.

 

As noted by others, watch for the short spacer between wheel and bevel drive. If it drops onto that magic invisible target on your instep (I have one on each foot, so I reckon everybody else does too ) it'll shoot across your shop or garage floor and dive into the deepest, darkest recess it can find.

 

No need to remove stock mufflers. The spindle will clear with lots o' room.

 

Hope this helps.

[rocker59]

I use a bungee cord to suspend the bevel box while the rear wheel is off the bike.

[stogieBill]

"I use a bungee cord to suspend the bevel box while the rear wheel is off the bike."

 

 

Yep, me too.

[redhog]

Thanks to everyone for the tips and pics. I have a Bridgestone Battalax BT020 on the way. Looks like I came to the right place.

[savagehenry]

I have a Bridgestone Battalax BT020 on the way. Looks like I came to the right place.

..to start a tire thread WAR, AGAIN! Your're new, so it will be excused . If you are brave, look up ANY tire thread to see what I mean...

I have had very good success by using a standard jack, with a board, under the oil pan, then putting a jackstand under each of the side plates often called the "porkchops". With the wheels about two inches off the gound, they both come right out. Definately give the driveshaft a proper lubing while the rear is apart, you will probably want to check that series of threads, look in "Tech" and "How to ...".

AND, if you don't have a owners manual, there are links, here again, to get a FREE download. Check " FAQ's" if I'm not mistakin'...

You will find it's a GREAT site, and then will want to "Buy Jaap a few beers!", at the top of the homepage, right side, when you see how fast you have a question answered, and blow HOURS reading the previous threads! Don't say I DIDN"T WARN YOU...Great choice of bike, S.H.

[redhog]

I love this bike! It seems like it will run up to 100 MPH (indicated) in no time from a roll on in 6th and has all the basic attributes

that I like in a motorcycle plus the updates like FI, oil cooler, etc. Didn't intend to start any controversy over tires as

at my age I am not that an aggressive rider and wanted an OEM replacement. I have changed lots of tires using a

Breezer tool, tire irons and teflon or nylon inserts to keep from damaging the rim. I have also used the axle bolt on

jigs to balance a tire by spinning it and adding weights until it never stops in the same position. Can I do this with the

Le Mans tire? Since there are no dealers within 200 miles of here, I have thought of taking the tire and wheel to a

Japanese shop. Has anyone had any experience doing that. Any help will be appreciated since the last tire I changed

was on an 82 Suzuki GS 850G.

[DeBenGuzzi]

I love this bike! It seems like it will run up to 100 MPH (indicated) in no time from a roll on in 6th and has all the basic attributes

that I like in a motorcycle plus the updates like FI, oil cooler, etc. Didn't intend to start any controversy over tires as

at my age I am not that an aggressive rider and wanted an OEM replacement. I have changed lots of tires using a

Breezer tool, tire irons and teflon or nylon inserts to keep from damaging the rim. I have also used the axle bolt on

jigs to balance a tire by spinning it and adding weights until it never stops in the same position. Can I do this with the

Le Mans tire? Since there are no dealers within 200 miles of here, I have thought of taking the tire and wheel to a

Japanese shop. Has anyone had any experience doing that. Any help will be appreciated since the last tire I changed

was on an 82 Suzuki GS 850G.

OH I took mine to the dealer I bought it from and the service tech came to find me in the shop and took me back to the mechanic's pit and said "how do you get the axle out? I just looked at him and laughed because I have no idea, youre the tech so any shop is as good as the next(for the most part) but really you might want to find a BMW dealer as they'll have shaft drive experience and most likely do a quicker better job of it. Having a shop do it is usally pretty inexpensive I think last time I got tires it was $30 a tire for mounting with the tire off the bike and I think $45 if they're on. Well worth the money to me to have a professional instal of the main two components that you entrust your life with and I will never work on myself for fear of muckin it up are 1) Tires and 2) Brakes, But thats just me. Welcome aboard too

[Guest ratchethack]

I love this bike! It seems like it will run up to 100 MPH (indicated) in no time from a roll on in 6th and has all the basic attributes

that I like in a motorcycle plus the updates like FI, oil cooler, etc. Didn't intend to start any controversy over tires as

at my age I am not that an aggressive rider and wanted an OEM replacement. I have changed lots of tires using a

Breezer tool, tire irons and teflon or nylon inserts to keep from damaging the rim. I have also used the axle bolt on

jigs to balance a tire by spinning it and adding weights until it never stops in the same position. Can I do this with the

Le Mans tire? Since there are no dealers within 200 miles of here, I have thought of taking the tire and wheel to a

Japanese shop. Has anyone had any experience doing that. Any help will be appreciated since the last tire I changed

was on an 82 Suzuki GS 850G.

Redhog, I'm pleased that you're pleased. After all -- you have every reason to be, my friend!

 

Having spooned on my own tires for decades, (also having amassed a full set of homemade tire spoons made of Delrin, and several times brewing up my own Ru-glyde tire mounting lube) and since giving it up just in the last 10 years, may I offer a few comments on doing your own tire mounting on the Guzzi:

 

It's a brand new world of tires since '82, my friend. Not only are you living in wot I call the Golden Age of Moto Tires, in which Sport/Touring tires have better grip and feel, not to mention terrific longevity, long past the very best of the best of a decade ago -- and far far beyond the wildest dreams of riders of over 2 decades ago! But on the flipside o' wot is surely nothing less than a new dimension in riding, steel radials ALSO bring an equally astounding new dimension to the frustration, the grief, and the struggle of spooning on hoops. Sure some guys still do it. Some guys also go to court representing themselves. . . Let's just say that everything you found challenging about stretching on bias ply tires in 1980 is now on the order of 10X harder -- not that it can't be done -- it's just lots, lots tougher.

 

I've found that today's moto dealerships don't want your tire mounting business unless you bought the tire from them. If you press them to do it, they will recite a list of disclaimers, probably make you sign an acknowledgement that you understand 'em in full (there's y'er sign) and throw it to a Neanderthal in the back, who'll butcher your lovely wheels badly enough to make sure you never come back. Best find a small, local independent moto service shop who wants your business, does good work, and who has a decent modern hydraulic tire mounting machine with "no touch" capability to keep your rims pristine, and bring your dismounted wheels to him. I've found that if you order your tires from him (never, ever buy tires "off the rack"), and allow the man a reasonable mark-up, you can get a professional job at a fair price and save yourself the expenditure of a half-day of continuous aneurism-tempting stress, not to mention a great big mess and a trip to the medicine cabinet for the most powerful stuff you got, just so's you can sleep for the next few nights. . .

 

Balancing isn't much of a concern with the massive Guzzi cast alu wheels. They're generally true enough to be run without adding weights at all with today's steel radials, which tend to be an order of magnitude more accurately mfg'd than the bias ply hoops of yesteryear. But your local moto shop will add a few 1/4 oz wheel weights just f'er grins, and you'll never feel any wheel vibration. (Metzelers are particularly accurate in this regard by my experience, which is also the observation of several moto journos I've read on this, due to precision laser cutting of the carcass.)

 

As I've come to realize (being not quite your age but gettin' there PDQ ), paying a Pro to do it right these days allows you to forgo the exquisite grief (shall we just be entirely honest here), whilst still allowing you to experience the incomparable joy of the lovely acrid smell o' that fresh "out o' the oven" new tire, whilst installing that mounted wheel and tire on the bike. That smell o' course, on a warm day, lingers delightfully in the nostrils even as you scrub that new tire in on your favorite road. And how you gonna have a better Saturday mornin' than that, I ask you?

 

That's been my routine for comin' up on a decade now, and I'm stickin' to it. I highly recommend it.

 

But o' course, that's just me.

 

Hope this helps. Have fun.

[redhog]

Ratchethack:

That is about the most elequent reply that I have ever gotten telling me to leave it to the pros. There are BMW dealers in the area and I will

search one out after considering all my options. Brings back memories of me trying to change out a steel belted radial on a Pontiac Grand Prix.

I eventually tried to cut the tire off with tin snips but the steel cords were too tough. Bummer. This is turning out to be an adventure. I have

touched up all the cosmetic damage from the steel bar tumbling past the inner fender workings and have salvaged the rear mudguard using washers and shims for strength where the mudguard was torn from it's anchor. The drive shaft took a few hits but nothing serious. A good time to lube it while I have access. At the risk of more controversy, I have used only Amsoil full synthetic in the sump since I have owned the bike. I have no idea if it works

but it makes me feel good. Gawd, that flat tire looks ugly!!

[richard100t]

The only thing I would add is that you can take the exhaust cans off first just to get them out of the way. Second thing would be to tie the torque rod to the swingarm to support the shaft & the bevel. Third is to remove the caliper from the disk, spray some cleaner in the caliper while you're at it (but thats another discussion!). Fourth if you still have the factory tool bag theres a large box wrench in there that fits the nut on the left side of the wheel. Get the nut loose before you jack the bike up. Fifth, be mindful of the spacers & where each one goes. Once the rear is off the floor just slide the axle out level with the rear drive enough that it clears the rim. Theres also the nasty cush drive subject to deal with while the rear wheel is off, but I'll let other forum members discuss that one!